Sabudana Khichdi

Soak the sabudana: Wash the sabudana under cold water until the water runs clear. Place in a bowl and just cover with cold water — the water should barely cover the pearls by about 5mm. Soak for 4–6 hours (or overnight). The pearls will absorb the water and swell up. After soaking, drain any remaining water. To test readiness: press a pearl between your fingers — it should flatten easily without gritty raw starch at the centre.

About 4 hr

Tip: Soaking in the right amount of water is the secret to non-sticky sabudana khichdi. Too much water = mushy, clumped result.

Prepare the peanuts: Roughly crush the roasted peanuts in a mortar or by placing them in a zip-lock bag and rolling with a rolling pin. They should be coarsely crushed — not fine powder. Mix the crushed peanuts with the soaked, drained sabudana. This coating helps prevent sticking during cooking.

About 5 min

Tip: Mixing peanuts into the sabudana before cooking ensures each pearl gets coated and stays separate.

Cook: Heat oil or ghee in a wide, flat pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds — they should sizzle immediately. Add curry leaves and green chilli. Fry for 30 seconds. Add the diced boiled potato and stir for 2 minutes. Add the sabudana-peanut mixture. Toss and stir gently over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, turning every 1–2 minutes. The pearls will turn translucent when cooked. Add salt, squeeze lime juice, and toss. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve hot.

About 15 min

Tip: Do not cover the pan or stir too aggressively — this causes the sabudana to clump. Gentle, occasional tossing is the right technique.